Over 100 female entrepreneurs, banking representatives and
government officials came together last night to celebrate the
success of British businesswomen and to explore ways of reducing
financial barriers for women-led firms seeking to grow their
operations and export.
Hosted at The Studio in Leeds by government department UK Export
Finance (UKEF), the event welcomed speakers from prominent groups
Female Founder Finance and
the Invest in Women
Taskforce.
UKEF is a government department which helps businesses to export
by offering financing guarantees and insurance – support which
helps companies to fill their order-books, invest in growth and
create wealth.
In the 2023-24 financial year, UKEF's backing for businesses
contributed £3.3 billion to the UK economy and supported up to
41,000 jobs across the country. The department has set an
objective to support more women-led businesses as part of its
business plan.
While this is good news for firms across the country, according
to the Rose
Review, £250 billion could be added to the UK economy if
women matched men in receiving business investment.
, Minister for Exports,
said:
One of the priorities for this government is to break down
barriers that women in business face, which includes access to
finance.
UK Export Finance is working alongside the broker Female Founder
Finance to ensure its suite of services reach more female
business owners so they can secure new investment opportunities
and grow their operations.
UKEF recently signed a partnership with Female Founder
Finance. Together, they will streamline the process for
referring eligible businesses into one another's financing
programmes, therefore reducing missed opportunities for women
owners.
Roxanne Goodman, Founder of Female Founder Finance,
added:
The UKEF and Female Founder Finance partnership is a game-changer
for women-led businesses looking to scale globally. Events like
this reception are crucial for connecting female founders with
the trade finance solutions they need to seize international
opportunities.
By breaking down barriers to funding, we're empowering more women
to succeed in international trade.
UKEF's support for women-led businesses complements the
government's priorities for economic growth and breaking down
barriers for businesses across the UK as part of its Plan for
Change.
The event comes after the Chancellor's backing for the Invest in Women
Taskforce – which aims to create one of the world's largest
investment funding pools for female founders – as part of this
government's mission to grow the economy.
